Gloves and related heat-resistant accessory holder and strap for gloves and related systems

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides embodiments of a wearable retainer that are provided for holding a fire resistant glove in place on a wrist of a user. Some implementations of the retainer include a flame retardant main loop formed from flame retardant material configured to be worn about a wrist of a user, as well as a flame retardant strap coupled to the flame retardant loop. The flame retardant strap includes a coupling to be attached to a portion of a fire resistant glove. Also described are various aspects of an accountability system for emergency workers, such as firefighters.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority to International Patent Application No. PCT/US19/37033 filed Jun. 13, 2019, which in turn claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/845,248, filed May 8, 2019 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/684,552, filed Jun. 13, 2018. Each of the aforementioned patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for any purpose whatsoever.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to accessories for gloves and in particular to a heat-resistant accessory holder and strap for gloves, as well as systems that can be facilitated by such accessories.

BACKGROUND

Firefighters wear equipment to assist in their firefighting activities once on the grounds or at the location of a fire. Two types of firefighting equipment are masks and gloves. Typically, when the gloves are being worn, they must be removed from the user's hands in order to put a mask on before going into a fire. Gloves would typically be placed on the ground which dramatically increases the chances of losing one or more of the gloves, which would completely take the firefighter out of service and unable to perform any duty. For example, most of the time gloves are taken off in front of a door where many people are trying to get into the building to fight a fire. In addition, visibility is also low due to smoke and other hazards, making it very easy to lose one's gloves. The present disclosure improves on the state of the art.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of the disclosure. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the disclosure or to delineate the scope of the disclosure. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

Thus, in accordance with the present disclosure, embodiments of a wearable retainer are provided for holding a fire resistant glove in place on a wrist of a user. Some implementations of the retainer include a flame retardant main loop formed from flame retardant material configured to be worn about a wrist of a user, as well as a flame retardant strap coupled to the flame retardant loop. The flame retardant strap includes a coupling to be attached to a portion of a fire resistant glove.

Preferably, the main loop is flexible and includes elastic material. The elastic material can include neoprene material. The neoprene material can be surrounded by or interspersed with meta-aramid fibers. The main loop and the strap can both include aromatic polyamide material. Preferably, the main loop and strap are stitched together using thread formed at least in part from aramid material.

In some implementations, the retainer can further include a length of hook and loop fastener in the form of a strap attached to the main loop. When the gloves are in use, the hook and loop fastener can be configured to be wrapped around the main loop around the wrist of the user. When the gloves are not in use, the strap including the hook and loop fastener can be wrapped around the gloves to secure the gloves together.

In accordance with further aspects, the coupling can include, for example a male or female half of a snap. This can facilitate attaching the retainer to firefighter turnout gear, which tends to have a snap integrated near the end of the sleeve.

In further embodiments, the retainer can include one or more accessories or additional systems. For example, the wearable retainer can further include a selectively actuatable lighting device. If desired, the wearable retainer can include an electronic identification tag that may include, for example, identifying information for the user, as well as medical information, health status information or other status information of the user, such as name, address, or identification information.

In still further embodiments, the wearable retainer can further include one or more sensors. In some implementations, the sensor can include one or more biometric sensors that are configured to measure at least one vital metric of a firefighter. The at least one vital metric can include one or more of blood pressure, temperature, skin conductivity, moisture, blood oxygen level, and heart rate. For example, since the main loop surrounds the wrist of the user, it is possible to configure the main loop with circuitry and suitable hardware for obtaining a generally accurate blood pressure measurement. Moreover, circuitry and sensors can be integrated into the main loop or strap that can measure the aforementioned parameters. If desired, a Bluetooth® or other wireless adaptor can also be included to transmit and/or receive data from a memory circuit on board the wearable retainer to a central monitor or control station.

In further implementations, the sensor can include one or more chemical detectors. The chemical detectors can be passive (such as a sample collector that is later tested to determine chemical content and exposure levels) or active, and based at least in part on one or more detection circuits.

In accordance with still further implementations, the wearable retainer can further include a sleeve coupled to the main loop to surround and shield a wrist of a user. The sleeve can be made from any desired material, but is preferably heat and chemical resistant. For example, the sleeve can be made from NOMEX® fibers (synthetic aromatic polyamide polymer, or polycarbonamide) and the like. The sleeve can be directed over the skin and under a user's glove and turnout gear. Or, the sleeve may be directed at least partially over a user's glove and turnout gear.

The disclosure further provides a system for tracking firefighters at a work location. The system includes a plurality of wearable retainers for users as described herein and a central monitor including scanning and tracking circuitry configured and arranged to read information contained on the electronic identification tag of each wearable retainer.

The system for tracking firefighters preferably includes machine readable instructions on a non-transient medium for controlling circuitry in the central monitor. The machine readable instructions can include instructions to read data obtained from the electronic identification tag of each user. The machine readable instructions can further include instructions to monitor at least one health related parameter of at least one firefighter. The machine readable instructions can still further include instructions to monitor at least one health related parameter of at least one firefighter to determine if the firefighter is exhibiting symptoms consistent with cardiac arrest.

In some implementations, the machine readable instructions can further include instructions to account for which firefighters have scanned into the system. Moreover, the machine readable instructions can further include instructions to account for how long each firefighter has been scanned into the system, and to execute a further action in response to a predetermined time has elapsed for at least one firefighter. For example, if a firefighter has been out in the field for too long, the system can be configured to send an alert to the firefighter or to a supervisor to inform the firefighter that they need to leave the field and to recuperate.

In accordance with further aspects of the disclosure, embodiments of a system are provided that include a pair of wearable retainers as described elsewhere herein, wherein each retainer includes unique indicia to help a user distinguish the retainers from each other. This can be used to help distinguish a user's right glove from their left glove, which can be particularly useful in conditions having limited visibility.

Thus, in some implementations, the indicia can include a first visual indicia on a first of the retainers, and a second, different visual indicia on a second of the retainers. The indicia can include a first color on a first of the retainers, and a second, different color on a second of the retainers. The indicia can include a first alphanumeric character on a first of the retainers, and a second, different alphanumeric character on a second of the retainers. The characters can be suggestive of which hand to put each glove on. In other implementations, the indicia can include a first tactile indicia on a first of the retainers, and a second, different tactile indicia on a second of the retainers.

The disclosure further provides implementations of a fire resistant jacket including a fire resistant glove coupled thereto by way of at least one wearable retainer as disclosed herein.

Certain of the disclosed embodiments are suitably configured to maintain gloves attached to one's wrists or body at all time when in the field addressing a fire or other emergency situation. This prevents losing gloves in a chaotic environment on the grounds of a fire. Devices made in accordance with the present disclosure can be made completely of fire retardant material, and so nothing will melt or drip from the device that could cause injuries.

It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosed embodiments. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, are included to illustrate and provide a further understanding of the disclosed methods and systems. Together with the description, the drawings serve to explain principles of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of presently preferred embodiments of the disclosure, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the disclosed embodiments, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the disclosure is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIGS. 1-3 illustrates a glove holder in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate the glove holder of FIGS. 1-4 securing a glove to a wrist of a user;

FIG. 6 illustrates the glove holder of FIG. 1 engaging a loop of the glove;

FIG. 7 illustrates the glove holder of FIG. 1 engaging a fastener of the glove;

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a flame-retardant strap attaching a glove to a jacket;

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method of use in accordance with the present disclosure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a schematic of a wearable glove holder or retainer including electronic sensors and supporting circuitry;

FIG. 11 is a schematic of an accountability system for firefighters in accordance with the present disclosure utilizing the glove holder;

FIG. 12 is a diagram of a further embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure; and

FIG. 13 is a schematic of a computer systemization for the disclosed accountability system in accordance with the present disclosure.

To facilitate an understanding of the disclosed embodiments, identical reference numerals have been used, when appropriate, to designate the same or similar elements that are common to the figures. Further, unless stated otherwise, the features shown in the figures are not drawn to scale, but are shown for illustrative purposes only.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The article “a” is intended to include one or more items, and where only one item is intended the term “one” or similar language is used. Additionally, to assist in the description of the present disclosure, words such as top, bottom, side, upper, lower, front, rear, inner, outer, right and left may be used to describe the accompanying figures. The terminology includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

As shown in FIGS. 1-8, a wearable retainer, or glove holding device in accordance with the present disclosure removably secures a glove to a user. As shown in FIGS. 1-8, in a first embodiment, the glove holding device 10 includes a flexible and elastic main loop 12 composed of flame-retardant material attached to a strap 14 of flame-retardant material by stitching 16. The flexible main loop 12 is preferably composed of a plurality of neoprene strands, preferably a plurality of two stacked strands, surrounded by about 2.5 cm. (about 1 inch) of NOMEX® webbing (including aramid fibers, such as meta-aramid fibers), and having a circumference of about 20 cm. (about 8 inches). Neoprene is also known as polychloroprene (PC) or PC rubber, and has a burn point of about 260° C. (about 500° F.). Using a stack of neoprene strands rather than a single strand provides additional structure such that the integrity of the loop 12 is not compromised when stitching the loop 12 as described below. That is, while a single neoprene strand is susceptible to breaking when a needle and thread is applied, a stack of neoprene strands eliminates this the possibility.

In alternative embodiments, the NOMEX® material in the main loop 12 may be replaced by any known flame-retardant materials such as aromatic polyamides, or aramids, having high melting or burning points. For example, such materials as KEVLAR®, TWARON®, and TECHNORA® may also be used. The strap 14 acts as a glove attachment element, and is preferably composed of a KEVLAR® webbing having a thickness of about 0.6 cm. (about 0.25 inch), and a loop length from about 7.6 cm. (about 3 inches) to about 15.2 cm. (about 6 inches). However, these dimensions can vary. For example, the strap 14 can have a thickness or width of ⅜ inch. In alternative embodiments, as with the material of the main loop 12, the KEVLAR® in the strap 14 may be replaced by any known flame-retardant materials such as aromatic polyamides, or aramids, having high melting or burning points. For example, such materials as TWARON®, and TECHNORA® may also be used.

Stitching 16 joins the main loop 12 to the strap 14. The stitching 16 may be formed by heavy-duty threading, and may be composed of KEVLAR®, other aramid fibers, or alternatively, NOMEX®, TWARON®, or TECHNORA® to provide a flame-retardant coupling of the main loop 12 to the strap 14. Various stitching patterns can be used to couple the main loop 12 with the strap 14. In alternative embodiments, known couplings may be used to permanently couple or join the main loop 12 to the strap 14, such as heat-sealing, as well as heat-resistant adhesives known in the art. The coupling mechanisms, including the stitching 16, are configured such that the overall integrity of the glove holding device 10 is not compromised with heat.

The NOMEX®, KEVLAR®, TWARON®, or TECHNORA®, or other flame-retardant substances used for the main loop 12, the strap 14, and the stitching 16, may be of any color such as black, yellow, or natural colors, or combinations thereof.

The color can form indicia for a user to help determine which hand to place which glove on. Thus, for example, if a pair of wearable retainers are provided of different colors (e.g., red and black), wherein the colors are assigned to each hand (e.g., red for right, black for left). Other colors can be used as well such as fluorescing colors, or glow in the dark material, wherein one of the wearable retainers includes, for example, strontium aluminate disposed thereon that glows in the dark and is generally readily visible.

Thus, in some implementations, the indicia can include a first visual indicia on a first of the retainers, and a second, different visual indicia on a second of the retainers.

In a further embodiment, the indicia can include a first alphanumeric character on a first of the retainers, and a second, different alphanumeric character on a second of the retainers. The characters can be suggestive of which hand to put each glove on. In other implementations, the indicia can include a first tactile indicia on a first of the retainers, and a second, different tactile indicia on a second of the retainers.

One or more flame-retardant labels may be stitched, adhered, or otherwise coupled to any one or more of the main loop 12, the strap 14, and the stitching 16, using such flame-retardant stitching, adhesives, or coupling mechanisms. In addition, the glove holder 10, including one or more of the main loop 12 and the strap 14, may be of any size to accommodate different sizes of users and wrists.

FIG. 5 illustrates the glove holder 10 of FIG. 1 securing a glove 18 to a wrist 20 of a user. The flexible and elastic main loop 12 is wrapped about the wrist 20 of the user, for example, by stretching the main loop 12 and inserting the user's hand and wrist into the main loop 12. The strap 14 is attached to the glove 18; for example, by a knot 22. FIG. 3 illustrates the glove holder 10 of FIG. 1 with the strap 14 inserted into a loop 24 of the glove 18 for engaging the loop in a knot, as in FIG. 5. The knot 22 may be a cow hitch, by which the strap 14 engages the loop 24. In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the strap 14 engages a fastener 26, such as a metal hook fastener, attached to the glove 18.

FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a flame-retardant strap 32 for attaching a glove 18 to a jacket or coat 30 worn by the user of the glove 18. The jacket 30 may include a hook or a fastener 34 which engages the strap 32 at one end, while the other end of the strap 32 engages a hook or a fastener 36 on the glove 18. In this manner, the user of the glove 18 may temporarily hook the glove 18 to the user's jacket 30 via the flame-retardant strap 32.

In another alternative embodiment, a hook-and-loop fastener in the form of a strap, such as a VELCRO® strap, is attached to the loop 12 such that when the gloves 18 are in use, the hook and loop fastener is wrapped around the loop 12, and when the gloves 18 are not in use and stored on the jacket 30, the gloves 18 are secured together by wrapping the hook-and-loop fastener around the gloves 18. The VELCRO® strap is composed of flame-retardant material such as KEVLAR®, NOMEX®, TWARON®, or TECHNORA®, or other flame-retardant substances. This flame-retardant hook-and-loop fastener would be stitched to the elastic loop enabling the glove to be both a glove holder on the jacket as well as wrist straps. As such, the possibility of the gloves 18 and/or loops 12 inadvertently engaging with foreign objects while stored on the jacket is greatly reduced.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method 60 of use of the present disclosure of FIG. 1, in which the method 60 includes the steps of providing, in step 62, a flame-retardant glove holder 10 with a flame-retardant main loop 12 and with a flame-retardant strap 14, as in FIG. 1. In step 64, the user wraps the main loop 12 of the glove holder 10 about the wrist 20 of the user, as in FIG. 5. The user then attaches the strap 14 to the glove 18 in step 66, such as shown in FIGS. 5-7. In an alternative embodiment, the steps 64, 66 in FIG. 9 may be reversed, with the user first attaching the strap 14 to the glove 18 as shown in FIGS. 5-7, and then the user wrapping the main loop 12 of the glove holder 10 about the wrist 20 of the user, as in FIG. 5.

FIG. 10 illustrates a glove retainer that is fitted with one or more electronic components for monitoring biometric data, chemical exposure and may transmit and receive data. For example, the device can use a processor circuit 102 coupled to a memory 108 and an antenna 106 as well as a biometric or chemical sensor 104. Power can be supplied by a battery (not shown) or by way of a piezoelectric generator, for example. As set forth above, any desired number of sensors 104 can be used for monitoring any one of a number of biometric parameters or chemical concentrations. If desired, a protective sleeve 120 can be provided independently of the retainer or integral with the retainer defined by a cylindrical surface configured to cover and shield the wrist of an emergency worker. The sleeve 120 can be made from any desired material, and is preferably formed at least in part from an elastic material that is fire resistant as discussed elsewhere herein.

Sleeve 120 is preferably formed from a material that is resistant to penetration by sub-micron size polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Adverse health effects associated with these agents include elevated incidences of coronary heart disease and several cancers. PAHs have been detected at fire scenes and at other locations. Examples of such PAHs include benz[a]anthracene, benzo{b,j,k] fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[e]pyrene, chrysene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, fluoranthene, indeno[1,2,3,-c,d]pyrene, phenanthrene, Pyrene, and the like. While the sleeve 120 can be a simple fabric layer, it can also include a layer of gel material or other material including moisture that can stop and/or trap such hazardous submicron particles. By way of example, an inner layer of the sleeve 120 that contacts skin can be surrounded by one or more layers of fine filter media that can in turn be surrounded by a further layer of fabric.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example of an accountability system in accordance with the present disclosure, which can include a controller or monitor 110 having one or more processor circuits coupled to a memory, a power source and an antenna. As discussed elsewhere herein the monitor 110 can monitor the status of firefighters or other emergency workers 112 while they are in the field, can track their vital signs as desired, track the location of the firefighters and issue alerts as needed if a firefighter's vital signs are concerning or if a firefighter has been in the field for too long. The hardware and software operable to run the accountability system is discussed below with reference to FIG. 13.

In accordance with further implementations of the disclosure, FIG. 12 illustrates a further embodiment including a glove that has a flame-retardant glove holder with a flame-retardant main loop 12 and with a flame-retardant strap 14 integrated therewith or specially modified to interface with such a glove holder. The strap 14 can be sewn to one or more layers of the glove, such as to an outer layer of the glove or the glove lining, or an inner layer of the glove. Such gloves typically include multiple layers of material. For example, the glove of FIG. 12 can include a NOMEX® (or other suitable) knit inner liner, a NFPA 1971-2018 compliant PORELLE® material ePTFE (expanded polytetrafluoroethylene) (or other suitable) moisture and blood borne pathogen barrier at least partially surrounding the inner liner, a durable outer shell made from aramid (e.g., KEVLAR®) fibers and/or a leather shell made, for example, at least on part of kangaroo leather. Reinforced regions can be provided in the glove, such as in the knuckle area made from multiple layers of flexible durable material such as an aramid textile including silicon carbide or other ceramic incorporated therein. The finger sidewalls can be made at least in part of aramid fiber textiles. Other illustrative examples of glove constructions can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,655,393, 9,644,923, and 9,079,050, which are all incorporated by reference herein an appended hereto. The strap 14 can alternatively be attached to the glove by one or more of a snap, a heat resistant FASTEX® buckle, or a pivoting hinge, for example. The glove, if desired, can include one or more sensors for sensing temperature inside or outside the glove. Moisture sensors, and sensors configured to detect toxic materials can also be provided. Such sensors can include a data connector (not shown) that may be incorporated into the glove and/or wrist strap and loop that can in turn be coupled to a data collection circuit including a processor circuit coupled to a memory circuit and, if desired communication circuitry incorporated into the glove or wrist strap. If desired, the glove can further include an oxygen sensor for monitoring the blood oxygen level of the user of the glove. In some embodiments, the sensors are incorporated into the glove, and the wrist loop 12 can house required electronics that need to be kept cooler. Sensors for detecting blood pressure, heart rate, skin conductivity, temperature and the like can be incorporated into the wrist band 12. The wrist band 12/14 can be dis-connectable from the glove, for example, to permit data downloading to a computer or replacement in the event of damage. The sensor data can be transmitted to the wrist unit of the glove holder where it may be recorded, and/or transmitted by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth® or other wireless connection, for example, to a further electronic device being worn by the user of the glove, which can then transmit the data to a central processing unit, dispatcher, or squad leader. An alarm can alert the user or other individual if a user's vital signs or other parameters indicate an unsafe condition or danger, such as the presence of a toxic material, an unsafe rise in temperature in the environment, a drop in oxygen of the local environment indicating the potential for a backdraft event, and the like. Such a “smart glove” and/or wrist strap can also be integrated with a NFC device for storing emergency worker information such as blood type and a medical condition, or a unique numerical code indicative of blood type or a medical condition. The smart device can also have communication circuitry to communicate with a RFID tracking system to keep fire ground accountability and firefighter medical information in case of emergency.

Example—HEAT™ Data Information System and Controller

FIG. 13 illustrates inventive aspects of a HEAT™ controller 601 for controlling a system such as that illustrated in FIG. 11 implementing some of the embodiments disclosed herein. In this embodiment, the HEAT™ controller 601 may serve to aggregate, process, store, search, serve, identify, instruct, generate, match, and/or facilitate interactions with a computer through various technologies, and/or other related data. In particular, it is contemplated that users of biometric monitoring devices as described herein can upload and back up their biometric or chemical exposure data to a computer database system where the data can be stored retrieved and analyzed for various purposes, such as central monitoring, and conducting studies, provided that appropriate legal privacy requirements are met concerning medical data.

Typically, a user or users, e.g., 633 a, which may be people or groups of users and/or other systems, may engage information technology systems (e.g., computers) to facilitate operation of the system and information processing. In turn, computers employ processors to process information; such processors 603 may be referred to as central processing units (CPU). One form of processor is referred to as a microprocessor. CPUs use communicative circuits to pass binary encoded signals acting as instructions to enable various operations. These instructions may be operational and/or data instructions containing and/or referencing other instructions and data in various processor accessible and operable areas of memory 629 (e.g., registers, cache memory, random access memory, etc.). Such communicative instructions may be stored and/or transmitted in batches (e.g., batches of instructions) as programs and/or data components to facilitate desired operations. These stored instruction codes, e.g., programs, may engage the CPU circuit components and other motherboard and/or system components to perform desired operations. One type of program is a computer operating system, which, may be executed by CPU on a computer; the operating system enables and facilitates users to access and operate computer information technology and resources. Some resources that may be employed in information technology systems include: input and output mechanisms through which data may pass into and out of a computer; memory storage into which data may be saved; and processors by which information may be processed. These information technology systems may be used to collect data for later retrieval, analysis, and manipulation, which may be facilitated through a database program. These information technology systems provide interfaces that allow users to access and operate various system components.

In one embodiment, the HEAT™ controller 601 may be connected to and/or communicate with entities such as, but not limited to: one or more users from user input devices 611; peripheral devices 612, user devices, servers; an optional cryptographic processor device 628; and/or a communications network 613. For example, the HEAT™ controller 601 may be connected to and/or communicate with users, e.g., 633 a, operating client device(s), e.g., 633 b, including, but not limited to, personal computer(s), server(s) and/or various mobile device(s) including, but not limited to, cellular telephone(s), smartphone(s) (e.g., iPhone®, Blackberry®, Android OS-based phones etc.), tablet computer(s) (e.g., Apple iPad™, HP Slate™, Motorola Xoom™, etc.), eBook reader(s) (e.g., Amazon Kindle™, Barnes and Noble's Nook™ eReader, etc.), laptop computer(s), notebook(s), netbook(s), gaming console(s) (e.g., XBOX Live™, Nintendo® DS, Sony PlayStation® Portable, etc.), portable scanner(s) and/or the like.

Networks are commonly thought to comprise the interconnection and interoperation of clients, servers, and intermediary nodes in a graph topology. It should be noted that the term “server” as used throughout this application refers generally to a computer, other device, program, or combination thereof that processes and responds to the requests of remote users across a communications network. Servers serve their information to requesting “clients.” The term “client” as used herein refers generally to a computer, program, other device, user and/or combination thereof that is capable of processing and making requests and obtaining and processing any responses from servers across a communications network. A computer, other device, program, or combination thereof that facilitates, processes information and requests, and/or furthers the passage of information from a source user to a destination user is commonly referred to as a “node.” Networks are generally thought to facilitate the transfer of information from source points to destinations. A node specifically tasked with furthering the passage of information from a source to a destination is commonly called a “router.” There are many forms of networks such as Local Area Networks (LANs), Pico networks, Wide Area Networks (WANs), Wireless Networks (WLANs), etc. For example, the Internet is generally accepted as being an interconnection of a multitude of networks whereby remote clients and servers may access and interoperate with one another.

The HEAT™ controller 601 may be based on computer systems that may comprise, but are not limited to, components such as: a computer systemization 602 connected to memory 629.

Computer Systemization

A computer systemization 602 may comprise a clock 630, central processing unit (“CPU(s)” and/or “processor(s)” (these terms are used interchangeable throughout the disclosure unless noted to the contrary)) 603, a memory 629 (e.g., a read only memory (ROM) 606, a random access memory (RAM) 605, etc.), and/or an interface bus 607, and most frequently, although not necessarily, are all interconnected and/or communicating through a system bus 604 on one or more (mother)board(s) 602 having conductive and/or otherwise transportive circuit pathways through which instructions (e.g., binary encoded signals) may travel to effect communications, operations, storage, etc. Optionally, the computer systemization may be connected to an internal power source 686; e.g., optionally the power source may be internal. Optionally, a cryptographic processor 626 and/or transceivers (e.g., ICs) 674 may be connected to the system bus. In another embodiment, the cryptographic processor and/or transceivers may be connected as either internal and/or external peripheral devices 612 via the interface bus I/O. In turn, the transceivers may be connected to antenna(s) 675, thereby effectuating wireless transmission and reception of various communication and/or sensor protocols; for example the antenna(s) may connect to: a Texas Instruments WiLink WL1283 transceiver chip (e.g., providing 802.11n, Bluetooth 3.0, FM, global positioning system (GPS) (thereby allowing HEAT™ controller to determine its location)); Broadcom BCM4329FKUBG transceiver chip (e.g., providing 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, FM, etc.); a Broadcom BCM4750IUB8 receiver chip (e.g., GPS); an Infineon Technologies X-Gold 618-PMB9800 (e.g., providing 2G/3G HSDPA/HSUPA communications); and/or the like. The system clock typically has a crystal oscillator and generates a base signal through the computer systemization's circuit pathways. The clock is typically coupled to the system bus and various clock multipliers that will increase or decrease the base operating frequency for other components interconnected in the computer systemization. The clock and various components in a computer systemization drive signals embodying information throughout the system. Such transmission and reception of instructions embodying information throughout a computer systemization may be commonly referred to as communications. These communicative instructions may further be transmitted, received, and the cause of return and/or reply communications beyond the instant computer systemization to: communications networks, input devices, other computer systemizations, peripheral devices, and/or the like. Of course, any of the above components may be connected directly to one another, connected to the CPU, and/or organized in numerous variations employed as exemplified by various computer systems.

The CPU comprises at least one high-speed data processor adequate to execute program components for executing user and/or system-generated requests. Often, the processors themselves will incorporate various specialized processing units, such as, but not limited to: integrated system (bus) controllers, memory management control units, floating point units, and even specialized processing sub-units like graphics processing units, signal processing units, and/or the like. Additionally, processors may include internal fast access addressable memory, and be capable of mapping and addressing memory 629 beyond the processor itself; internal memory may include, but is not limited to: fast registers, various levels of cache memory (e.g., level 1, 2, 3, etc.), RAM, etc. The processor may access this memory through the use of a memory address space that is accessible via instruction address, which the processor can construct and decode allowing it to access a circuit path to a specific memory address space having a memory state. The CPU may be a microprocessor such as: AMD's Athlon, Duron and/or Opteron; ARM's application, embedded and secure processors; IBM and/or Motorola's DragonBall and PowerPC; IBM's and Sony's Cell processor; Intel's Celeron, Core (2) Duo, Itanium, Pentium, Xeon, and/or XScale; and/or the like processor(s). The CPU interacts with memory through instruction passing through conductive and/or transportive conduits (e.g., (printed) electronic and/or optic circuits) to execute stored instructions (i.e., program code) according to conventional data processing techniques. Such instruction passing facilitates communication within the HEAT™ controller and beyond through various interfaces. Should processing requirements dictate a greater amount speed and/or capacity, distributed processors (e.g., Distributed HEAT™ embodiments), mainframe, multi-core, parallel, and/or super-computer architectures may similarly be employed. Alternatively, should deployment requirements dictate greater portability, smaller Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) may be employed.

Depending on the particular implementation, features of the HEAT™ implementations may be achieved by implementing a microcontroller such as CAST's R8051XC2 microcontroller; Intel's MCS 51 (i.e., 8051 microcontroller); and/or the like. Also, to implement certain features of the HEAT™ embodiments, some feature implementations may rely on embedded components, such as: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (“ASIC”), Digital Signal Processing (“DSP”), Field Programmable Gate Array (“FPGA”), and/or the like embedded technology. For example, any of the HEAT™ component collection (distributed or otherwise) and/or features may be implemented via the microprocessor and/or via embedded components; e.g., via ASIC, coprocessor, DSP, FPGA, and/or the like. Alternately, some implementations of the HEAT™ may be implemented with embedded components that are configured and used to achieve a variety of features or signal processing.

Depending on the particular implementation, the embedded components may include software solutions, hardware solutions, and/or some combination of both hardware/software solutions. For example, HEAT™ features discussed herein may be achieved through implementing FPGAs, which are a semiconductor devices containing programmable logic components called “logic blocks”, and programmable interconnects, such as the high performance FPGA Virtex series and/or the low cost Spartan series manufactured by Xilinx. Logic blocks and interconnects can be programmed by the customer or designer, after the FPGA is manufactured, to implement any of the HEAT™ features. A hierarchy of programmable interconnects allow logic blocks to be interconnected as needed by the HEAT™ system designer/administrator, somewhat like a one-chip programmable breadboard. An FPGA's logic blocks can be programmed to perform the function of basic logic gates such as AND, and XOR, or more complex combinational functions such as decoders or simple mathematical functions. In most FPGAs, the logic blocks also include memory elements, which may be simple flip-flops or more complete blocks of memory. In some circumstances, the HEAT™ may be developed on regular FPGAs and then migrated into a fixed version that more resembles ASIC implementations. Alternate or coordinating implementations may migrate HEAT™ controller features to a final ASIC instead of or in addition to FPGAs. Depending on the implementation all of the aforementioned embedded components and microprocessors may be considered the “CPU” and/or “processor” for the HEAT™.

Power Source

The power source 686 may be of any standard form for powering small electronic circuit board devices such as the following power cells: alkaline, lithium hydride, lithium ion, lithium polymer, nickel cadmium, solar cells, and/or the like. Other types of AC or DC power sources may be used as well. In the case of solar cells, in one embodiment, the case provides an aperture through which the solar cell may capture photonic energy. The power cell 686 is connected to at least one of the interconnected subsequent components of the HEAT™ thereby providing an electric current to all subsequent components. In one example, the power source 686 is connected to the system bus component 604. In an alternative embodiment, an outside power source 686 is provided through a connection across the I/O 608 interface. For example, a USB and/or IEEE 1394 connection carries both data and power across the connection and is therefore a suitable source of power.

Interface Adapters

Interface bus(ses) 607 may accept, connect, and/or communicate to a number of interface adapters, conventionally although not necessarily in the form of adapter cards, such as but not limited to: input output interfaces (I/O) 608, storage interfaces 609, network interfaces 610, and/or the like. Optionally, cryptographic processor interfaces 627 similarly may be connected to the interface bus. The interface bus provides for the communications of interface adapters with one another as well as with other components of the computer systemization. Interface adapters are adapted for a compatible interface bus. Interface adapters conventionally connect to the interface bus via a slot architecture. Conventional slot architectures may be employed, such as, but not limited to: Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), Card Bus, (Extended) Industry Standard Architecture ((E)ISA), Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), NuBus, Peripheral Component Interconnect (Extended) (PCI(X)), PCI Express, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA), and/or the like.

Storage interfaces 609 may accept, communicate, and/or connect to a number of storage devices such as, but not limited to: storage devices 614, removable disc devices, and/or the like. Storage interfaces may employ connection protocols such as, but not limited to: (Ultra) (Serial) Advanced Technology Attachment (Packet Interface) ((Ultra) (Serial) ATA(PI)), (Enhanced) Integrated Drive Electronics ((E)IDE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394, fiber channel, Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI), Universal Serial Bus (USB), and/or the like.

Network interfaces 610 may accept, communicate, and/or connect to a communications network 613. Through a communications network 613, the HEAT™ controller is accessible through remote clients 633 b (e.g., computers with web browsers) by users 633 a. Network interfaces may employ connection protocols such as, but not limited to: direct connect, Ethernet (thick, thin, twisted pair 10/100/1000 Base T, and/or the like), Token Ring, wireless connection such as IEEE 802.11a-x, and/or the like. Should processing requirements dictate a greater amount speed and/or capacity, distributed network controllers (e.g., Distributed HEAT™), architectures may similarly be employed to pool, load balance, and/or otherwise increase the communicative bandwidth required by the HEAT™ controller. A communications network may be any one and/or the combination of the following: a direct interconnection; the Internet; a Local Area Network (LAN); a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN); an Operating Missions as Nodes on the Internet (OMNI); a secured custom connection; a Wide Area Network (WAN); a wireless network (e.g., employing protocols such as, but not limited to a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), I-mode, and/or the like); and/or the like. A network interface may be regarded as a specialized form of an input output interface. Further, multiple network interfaces 610 may be used to engage with various communications network types 613. For example, multiple network interfaces may be employed to allow for the communication over broadcast, multicast, and/or unicast networks.

Input Output interfaces (I/O) 608 may accept, communicate, and/or connect to user input devices 611, peripheral devices 612, cryptographic processor devices 628, and/or the like. I/O may employ connection protocols such as, but not limited to: audio: analog, digital, monaural, RCA, stereo, and/or the like; data: Apple Desktop Bus (ADB), IEEE 1394a-b, serial, universal serial bus (USB); infrared; joystick; keyboard; midi; optical; PC AT; PS/2; parallel; radio; video interface: Apple Desktop Connector (ADC), BNC, coaxial, component, composite, digital, digital Visual Interface (DVI), high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), RCA, RF antennae, S-Video, VGA, and/or the like; wireless transceivers: 802.11a/b/g/n/x; Bluetooth; cellular (e.g., code division multiple access (CDMA), high speed packet access (HSPA(+)), high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA), global system for mobile communications (GSM), long term evolution (LTE), WiMax, etc.); and/or the like. One typical output device may include a video display, which typically comprises a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) based monitor with an interface (e.g., DVI circuitry and cable) that accepts signals from a video interface, may be used. The video interface composites information generated by a computer systemization and generates video signals based on the composited information in a video memory frame. Another output device is a television set, which accepts signals from a video interface. Typically, the video interface provides the composited video information through a video connection interface that accepts a video display interface (e.g., an RCA composite video connector accepting an RCA composite video cable; a DVI connector accepting a DVI display cable, etc.).

User input devices 611 often are a type of peripheral device 612 (see below) and may include: card readers, dongles, finger print readers, gloves, graphics tablets, joysticks, keyboards, microphones, mouse (mice), remote controls, retina readers, touch screens (e.g., capacitive, resistive, etc.), trackballs, trackpads, sensors (e.g., accelerometers, ambient light, GPS, gyroscopes, proximity, etc.), styluses, and/or the like.

Peripheral devices 612, such as user devices 100 or other components of the system, such as peripheral sensors and the like, may be connected and/or communicate to I/O and/or other facilities of the like such as network interfaces, storage interfaces, directly to the interface bus, system bus, the CPU, and/or the like. Peripheral devices may be external, internal and/or part of the HEAT™ controller.

Cryptographic units such as, but not limited to, microcontrollers, processors 626, interfaces 627, and/or devices 628 may be attached, and/or communicate with the HEAT™ controller. A MC68HC16 microcontroller, manufactured by Motorola Inc., may be used for and/or within cryptographic units. The MC68HC16 microcontroller utilizes a 16-bit multiply-and-accumulate instruction in the 16 MHz configuration and requires less than one second to perform a 512-bit RSA private key operation. Cryptographic units support the authentication of communications from interacting agents, as well as allowing for anonymous transactions. Cryptographic units may also be configured as part of CPU. Equivalent microcontrollers and/or processors may also be used. Other commercially available specialized cryptographic processors include: the Broadcom's CryptoNetX and other Security Processors; nCipher's nShield, SafeNet's Luna PCI (e.g., 7100) series; Semaphore Communications' 40 MHz Roadrunner 184; Sun's Cryptographic Accelerators (e.g., Accelerator 6000 PCIe Board, Accelerator 500 Daughtercard); Via Nano Processor (e.g., L2100, L2200, U2400) line, which is capable of performing 500+MB/s of cryptographic instructions; VLSI Technology's 33 MHz 6868; and/or the like.

Memory

Generally, any mechanization and/or embodiment allowing a processor to affect the storage and/or retrieval of information is regarded as memory 629. However, memory is a fungible technology and resource, thus, any number of memory embodiments may be employed in lieu of or in concert with one another. It is to be understood that the HEAT™ controller and/or a computer systemization may employ various forms of memory 629. For example, a computer systemization may be configured wherein the functionality of on-chip CPU memory (e.g., registers), RAM, ROM, and any other storage devices are provided by a paper punch tape or paper punch card mechanism; of course such an embodiment would result in an extremely slow rate of operation. In a typical configuration, memory 629 will include ROM 606, RAM 605, and a storage device 614. A storage device 614 may be any conventional computer system storage. Storage devices may include a drum; a (fixed and/or removable) magnetic disk drive; a magneto-optical drive; an optical drive (i.e., Blueray, CD ROM/RAM/Recordable (R)/ReWritable (RW), DVD R/RW, HD DVD R/RW etc.); an array of devices (e.g., Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)); solid state memory devices (USB memory, solid state drives (SSD), etc.); other processor-readable storage mediums; and/or other devices of the like. Thus, a computer systemization generally requires and makes use of memory.

Component Collection

The memory 629 may contain a collection of program and/or database components and/or data such as, but not limited to: operating system component(s) 615 (operating system); information server component(s) 616 (information server); user interface component(s) 617 (user interface); Web browser component(s) 618 (Web browser);

database(s) 619; mail server component(s) 621; mail client component(s) 622; cryptographic server component(s) 620 (cryptographic server) and/or the like (i.e., collectively a component collection). These components may be stored and accessed from the storage devices and/or from storage devices accessible through an interface bus. Although non-conventional program components such as those in the component collection, typically, are stored in a local storage device 614, they may also be loaded and/or stored in memory such as: peripheral devices, RAM, remote storage facilities through a communications network, ROM, various forms of memory, and/or the like.

Operating System

The operating system component 615 is an executable program component facilitating the operation of the HEAT™ controller. Typically, the operating system facilitates access of I/O, network interfaces, peripheral devices, storage devices, and/or the like. The operating system may be a highly fault tolerant, scalable, and secure system such as: Apple Macintosh OS X (Server); AT&T Plan 9; Be OS; Unix and Unix-like system distributions (such as AT&T's UNIX; Berkley Software Distribution (BSD) variations such as FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, and/or the like; Linux distributions such as Red Hat, Ubuntu, and/or the like); and/or the like operating systems. However, more limited and/or less secure operating systems also may be employed such as Apple Macintosh OS, IBM OS/2, Microsoft DOS, Microsoft Windows 2000/2003/3.1/95/98/CE/Millenium/NTNista/XP (Server), Palm OS, and/or the like. An operating system may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or the like. Most frequently, the operating system communicates with other program components, user interfaces, and/or the like. For example, the operating system may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses. The operating system, once executed by the CPU, may enable the interaction with communications networks, data, I/O, peripheral devices, program components, memory, user input devices, and/or the like. The operating system may provide communications protocols that allow the HEAT™ controller to communicate with other entities through a communications network 613. Various communication protocols may be used by the HEAT™ controller as a subcarrier transport mechanism for interaction, such as, but not limited to: multicast, TCP/IP, UDP, unicast, and/or the like.

Information Server

An information server component 616 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. The information server may be a conventional Internet information server such as, but not limited to Apache Software Foundation's Apache, Microsoft's Internet Information Server, and/or the like. The information server may allow for the execution of program components through facilities such as Active Server Page (ASP), ActiveX, (ANSI) (Objective-) C (++), C# and/or .NET, Common Gateway Interface (CGI) scripts, dynamic (D) hypertext markup language (HTML), FLASH, Java, JavaScript, Practical Extraction Report Language (PERL), Hypertext Pre-Processor (PHP), pipes, Python, wireless application protocol (WAP), WebObjects, and/or the like. The information server may support secure communications protocols such as, but not limited to, File Transfer Protocol (FTP); HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP); Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), messaging protocols (e.g., America Online (AOL) Instant Messenger (AIM), Application Exchange (APEX), ICQ, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), Microsoft Network (MSN) Messenger Service, Presence and Instant Messaging Protocol (PRIM), Internet Engineering Task Force's (IETF's) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), SIP for Instant Messaging and Presence Leveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), open XML-based Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) (i.e., Jabber or Open Mobile Alliance's (OMA's) Instant Messaging and Presence Service (IMPS)), Yahoo! Instant Messenger Service, and/or the like. The information server provides results in the form of Web pages to Web browsers, and allows for the manipulated generation of the Web pages through interaction with other program components. After a Domain Name System (DNS) resolution portion of an HTTP request is resolved to a particular information server, the information server resolves requests for information at specified locations on the HEAT™ controller based on the remainder of the HTTP request. For example, a request such as http://123.124.125.126/myInformation.html might have the IP portion of the request “123.124.125.126” resolved by a DNS server to an information server at that IP address; that information server might in turn further parse the http request for the “/myInformation.html” portion of the request and resolve it to a location in memory containing the information “myInformation.html.” Additionally, other information serving protocols may be employed across various ports, e.g., FTP communications across port 21, and/or the like. An information server may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the information server communicates with the HEAT™ database 619, operating systems, other program components, user interfaces, Web browsers, and/or the like.

Access to the HEAT™ database may be achieved through a number of database bridge mechanisms such as through scripting languages as enumerated below (e.g., CGI) and through inter-application communication channels as enumerated below (e.g., CORBA, WebObjects, etc.). Any data requests through a Web browser are parsed through the bridge mechanism into appropriate grammars as required by the HEAT™. In one embodiment, the information server would provide a Web form accessible by a Web browser. Entries made into supplied fields in the Web form are tagged as having been entered into the particular fields, and parsed as such. The entered terms are then passed along with the field tags, which act to instruct the parser to generate queries directed to appropriate tables and/or fields. In one embodiment, the parser may generate queries in standard SQL by instantiating a search string with the proper join/select commands based on the tagged text entries, wherein the resulting command is provided over the bridge mechanism to the HEAT™ as a query. Upon generating query results from the query, the results are passed over the bridge mechanism, and may be parsed for formatting and generation of a new results Web page by the bridge mechanism. Such a new results Web page is then provided to the information server, which may supply it to the requesting Web browser.

Also, an information server may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.

User Interface

Computer interfaces in some respects are similar to automobile operation interfaces. Automobile operation interface elements such as steering wheels, gearshifts, and speedometers facilitate the access, operation, and display of automobile resources, and status. Computer interaction interface elements such as check boxes, cursors, menus, scrollers, and windows (collectively and commonly referred to as widgets) similarly facilitate the access, capabilities, operation, and display of data and computer hardware and operating system resources, and status. Operation interfaces are commonly called user interfaces. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) such as the Apple Macintosh Operating System's Aqua, IBM's OS/2, Microsoft's Windows 2000/2003/3.1/95/98/CE/Millenium/NT/XPNista/7 (i.e., Aero), Unix's X-Windows (e.g., which may include additional Unix graphic interface libraries and layers such as K Desktop Environment (KDE), mythTV and GNU Network Object Model Environment (GNOME)), web interface libraries (e.g., ActiveX, AJAX, (D)HTML, FLASH, Java, JavaScript, etc. interface libraries such as, but not limited to, Dojo, jQuery(UI), MooTools, Prototype, script.aculo.us, SWFObject, Yahoo! User Interface, any of which may be used and) provide a baseline and means of accessing and displaying information graphically to users.

A user interface component 617 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. The user interface may be a conventional graphic user interface as provided by, with, and/or atop operating systems and/or operating environments such as already discussed, such as in the monitor 110 of FIG. 11. The user interface may allow for the display, execution, interaction, manipulation, and/or operation of program components and/or system facilities through textual and/or graphical facilities. The user interface provides a facility through which users may affect, interact, and/or operate a computer system. A user interface may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the user interface communicates with operating systems, other program components, and/or the like. The user interface may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.

Web Browser

A Web browser component 618 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. The Web browser may be a conventional hypertext viewing application such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. Secure Web browsing may be supplied with 128 bit (or greater) encryption by way of HTTPS, SSL, and/or the like. Web browsers allowing for the execution of program components through facilities such as ActiveX, AJAX, (D)HTML, FLASH, Java, JavaScript, web browser plug-in APIs (e.g., FireFox, Safari Plug-in, and/or the like APIs), and/or the like. Web browsers and like information access tools may be integrated into PDAs, cellular telephones, and/or other mobile devices. A Web browser may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the Web browser communicates with information servers, operating systems, integrated program components (e.g., plug-ins), and/or the like; e.g., it may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses. Of course, in place of a Web browser and information server, a combined application may be developed to perform similar functions of both. The combined application would similarly affect the obtaining and the provision of information to users, user agents, and/or the like from the HEAT™ enabled nodes. The combined application may be nugatory on systems employing standard Web browsers.

Mail Server

A mail server component 621 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU 603. The mail server may be a conventional Internet mail server such as, but not limited to sendmail, Microsoft Exchange, and/or the like. The mail server may allow for the execution of program components through facilities such as ASP, ActiveX, (ANSI) (Objective-) C (++), C# and/or .NET, CGI scripts, Java, JavaScript, PERL, PHP, pipes, Python, WebObjects, and/or the like. The mail server may support communications protocols such as, but not limited to: Internet message access protocol (IMAP), Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI)/Microsoft Exchange, post office protocol (POP3), simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP), and/or the like. The mail server can route, forward, and process incoming and outgoing mail messages that have been sent, relayed and/or otherwise traversing through and/or to the HEAT™.

Access to the HEAT™ mail may be achieved through a number of APIs offered by the individual Web server components and/or the operating system.

Also, a mail server may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, information, and/or responses.

Mail Client

A mail client component 622 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU 603. The mail client may be a conventional mail viewing application such as Apple Mail, Microsoft Entourage, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Outlook Express, Mozilla, Thunderbird, and/or the like. Mail clients may support a number of transfer protocols, such as: IMAP, Microsoft Exchange, POP3, SMTP, and/or the like. A mail client may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the mail client communicates with mail servers, operating systems, other mail clients, and/or the like; e.g., it may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, information, and/or responses. Generally, the mail client provides a facility to compose and transmit electronic mail messages.

Cryptographic Server

A cryptographic server component 620 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU 603, cryptographic processor 626, cryptographic processor interface 627, cryptographic processor device 628, and/or the like. Cryptographic processor interfaces will allow for expedition of encryption and/or decryption requests by the cryptographic component; however, the cryptographic component, alternatively, may run on a conventional CPU. The cryptographic component allows for the encryption and/or decryption of provided data. The cryptographic component allows for both symmetric and asymmetric (e.g., Pretty Good Protection (PGP)) encryption and/or decryption. The cryptographic component may employ cryptographic techniques such as, but not limited to: digital certificates (e.g., X.509 authentication framework), digital signatures, dual signatures, enveloping, password access protection, public key management, and/or the like. The cryptographic component will facilitate numerous (encryption and/or decryption) security protocols such as, but not limited to: checksum, Data Encryption Standard (DES), Elliptical Curve Encryption (ECC), International Data Encryption Algorithm (IDEA), Message Digest 5 (MD5, which is a one way hash function), passwords, Rivest Cipher (RCS), Rijndael, RSA (which is an Internet encryption and authentication system that uses an algorithm developed in 1977 by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman), Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA), Secure Socket Layer (SSL), Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS), and/or the like. Employing such encryption security protocols, the HEAT™ may encrypt all incoming and/or outgoing communications and may serve as node within a virtual private network (VPN) with a wider communications network. The cryptographic component facilitates the process of “security authorization” whereby access to a resource is inhibited by a security protocol wherein the cryptographic component effects authorized access to the secured resource. In addition, the cryptographic component may provide unique identifiers of content, e.g., employing and MD5 hash to obtain a unique signature for a digital audio file. A cryptographic component may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. The cryptographic component supports encryption schemes allowing for the secure transmission of information across a communications network to enable the HEAT™ component to engage in secure transactions if so desired. The cryptographic component facilitates the secure accessing of resources on the HEAT™ and facilitates the access of secured resources on remote systems; i.e., it may act as a client and/or server of secured resources. Most frequently, the cryptographic component communicates with information servers, operating systems, other program components, and/or the like. The cryptographic component may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.

The HEAT™ Database

The HEAT™ database component 619 may be embodied in a database and its stored data. The database is a stored program component, which is executed by the CPU; the stored program component portion configuring the CPU to process the stored data. The database may be a conventional, fault tolerant, relational, scalable, secure database such as Oracle or Sybase. Relational databases are an extension of a flat file. Relational databases consist of a series of related tables. The tables are interconnected via a key field. Use of the key field allows the combination of the tables by indexing against the key field; i.e., the key fields act as dimensional pivot points for combining information from various tables. Relationships generally identify links maintained between tables by matching primary keys. Primary keys represent fields that uniquely identify the rows of a table in a relational database. More precisely, they uniquely identify rows of a table on the “one” side of a one-to-many relationship.

Alternatively, the HEAT™ database may be implemented using various standard data-structures, such as an array, hash, (linked) list, struct, structured text file (e.g., XML), table, and/or the like. Such data-structures may be stored in memory and/or in (structured) files. In another alternative, an object-oriented database may be used, such as Frontier, ObjectStore, Poet, Zope, and/or the like. Object databases can include a number of object collections that are grouped and/or linked together by common attributes; they may be related to other object collections by some common attributes. Object-oriented databases perform similarly to relational databases with the exception that objects are not just pieces of data but may have other types of functionality encapsulated within a given object. If the HEAT™ database is implemented as a data-structure, the use of the HEAT™ database 619 may be integrated into another component such as the HEAT™ component 635. Also, the database may be implemented as a mix of data structures, objects, and relational structures. Databases may be consolidated and/or distributed in countless variations through standard data processing techniques. Portions of databases, e.g., tables, may be exported and/or imported and thus decentralized and/or integrated.

In one embodiment, the database component 619 includes several tables 619 a-n. A Users (e.g., operators and supervisors) table 619 a may include fields such as, but not limited to: user_id, ssn, dob, first_name, last_name, age, state, address_firstline, address_secondline, zipcode, devices_list, contact_info, contact_type, alt_contact_info, alt_contact_type, and/or the like to refer to any type of enterable data or selections discussed herein. The Users table may support and/or track multiple entity accounts. A Clients table 619 b may include fields such as, but not limited to: user_id, client_id, client_ip, client_type, client_model, operating_system, os_version, app_installed_flag, and/or the like. An Apps table 619 c may include fields such as, but not limited to: app_ID, app_name, app_type, OS_compatibilities_list, version, timestamp, developer_ID, and/or the like. A blood pressure parameters table 619 d including, for example, measured blood pressures and other senser outputs, such as measured_pressure, time_stamp, as well as those relating to any other variable or figure of merit described elsewhere herein and/or the like.

In one embodiment, user programs may contain various user interface primitives, which may serve to update the HEAT™ platform. Also, various accounts may require custom database tables depending upon the environments and the types of clients the HEAT™ system may need to serve. It should be noted that any unique fields may be designated as a key field throughout. In an alternative embodiment, these tables have been decentralized into their own databases and their respective database controllers (i.e., individual database controllers for each of the above tables). Employing standard data processing techniques, one may further distribute the databases over several computer systemizations and/or storage devices. Similarly, configurations of the decentralized database controllers may be varied by consolidating and/or distributing the various database components 619 a-n. The HEAT™ system may be configured to keep track of various settings, inputs, and parameters via database controllers.

The HEAT™ database may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the HEAT™ database communicates with the HEAT™ component, other program components, and/or the like. The database may contain, retain, and provide information regarding other nodes and data.

The HEAT™ Components

The HEAT™ component 635 is a stored program component that is executed by a CPU. In one embodiment, the HEAT™ component incorporates any and/or all combinations of the aspects of the HEAT™ systems discussed in the previous figures. As such, the HEAT™ component affects accessing, obtaining and the provision of information, services, transactions, and/or the like across various communications networks.

The HEAT™ component may transform data collected by the device 100 or other input signals received, e.g., from a mobile device, into commands for operating the device 100.

The HEAT™ component enabling access of information between nodes may be developed by employing standard development tools and languages such as, but not limited to: Apache components, Assembly, ActiveX, binary executables, (ANSI) (Objective-) C (++), C# and/or .NET, database adapters, CGI scripts, Java, JavaScript, mapping tools, procedural and object oriented development tools, PERL, PHP, Python, shell scripts, SQL commands, web application server extensions, web development environments and libraries (e.g., Microsoft's ActiveX; Adobe AIR, FLEX & FLASH; AJAX; (D)HTML; Dojo, Java; JavaScript; jQuery(UI); MooTools; Prototype; script.aculo.us; Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP); SWFObject; Yahoo! User Interface; and/or the like), WebObjects, and/or the like. In one embodiment, the HEAT™ server employs a cryptographic server to encrypt and decrypt communications. The HEAT™ component may communicate to and/or with other components in a component collection, including itself, and/or facilities of the like. Most frequently, the HEAT™ component communicates with the HEAT™ database, operating systems, other program components, and/or the like. The HEAT™ may contain, communicate, generate, obtain, and/or provide program component, system, user, and/or data communications, requests, and/or responses.

Distributed HEAT™ Embodiments

The structure and/or operation of any of the HEAT™ node controller components may be combined, consolidated, and/or distributed in any number of ways to facilitate development and/or deployment. Similarly, the component collection may be combined in any number of ways to facilitate deployment and/or development. To accomplish this, one may integrate the components into a common code base or in a facility that can dynamically load the components on demand in an integrated fashion.

The component collection may be consolidated and/or distributed in countless variations through standard data processing and/or development techniques. Multiple instances of any one of the program components in the program component collection may be instantiated on a single node, and/or across numerous nodes to improve performance through load-balancing and/or data-processing techniques. Furthermore, single instances may also be distributed across multiple controllers and/or storage devices; e.g., databases. All program component instances and controllers working in concert may do so through standard data processing communication techniques.

The configuration of the HEAT™ controller will depend on the context of system deployment. Factors such as, but not limited to, the budget, capacity, location, and/or use of the underlying hardware resources may affect deployment requirements and configuration. Regardless of if the configuration results in more consolidated and/or integrated program components, results in a more distributed series of program components, and/or results in some combination between a consolidated and distributed configuration, data may be communicated, obtained, and/or provided. Instances of components consolidated into a common code base from the program component collection may communicate, obtain, and/or provide data. This may be accomplished through intra-application data processing communication techniques such as, but not limited to: data referencing (e.g., pointers), internal messaging, object instance variable communication, shared memory space, variable passing, and/or the like.

If component collection components are discrete, separate, and/or external to one another, then communicating, obtaining, and/or providing data with and/or to other component components may be accomplished through inter-application data processing communication techniques such as, but not limited to: Application Program Interfaces (API) information passage; (distributed) Component Object Model ((D)COM), (Distributed) Object Linking and Embedding ((D)OLE), and/or the like), Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA), Jini local and remote application program interfaces, JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), Remote Method Invocation (RMI), SOAP, process pipes, shared files, and/or the like. Messages sent between discrete component components for inter-application communication or within memory spaces of a singular component for intra-application communication may be facilitated through the creation and parsing of a grammar. A grammar may be developed by using development tools such as lex, yacc, XML, and/or the like, which allow for grammar generation and parsing capabilities, which in turn may form the basis of communication messages within and between components.

For example, a grammar may be arranged to recognize the tokens of an HTTP post command, e.g.:

-   -   w3c -post http:// . . . Value1

where Value1 is discerned as being a parameter because “http://” is part of the grammar syntax, and what follows is considered part of the post value. Similarly, with such a grammar, a variable “Value1” may be inserted into an “http://” post command and then sent. The grammar syntax itself may be presented as structured data that is interpreted and/or otherwise used to generate the parsing mechanism (e.g., a syntax description text file as processed by lex, yacc, etc.). Also, once the parsing mechanism is generated and/or instantiated, it itself may process and/or parse structured data such as, but not limited to: character (e.g., tab) delineated text, HTML, structured text streams, XML, and/or the like structured data. In another embodiment, inter-application data processing protocols themselves may have integrated and/or readily available parsers (e.g., JSON, SOAP, and/or like parsers) that may be employed to parse (e.g., communications) data. Further, the parsing grammar may be used beyond message parsing, but may also be used to parse: databases, data collections, data stores, structured data, and/or the like. Again, the desired configuration will depend upon the context, environment, and requirements of system deployment.

For example, in some implementations, the HEAT™ controller may be executing a PHP script implementing a Secure Sockets Layer (“SSL”) socket server via the information server, which listens to incoming communications on a server port to which a client may send data, e.g., data encoded in JSON format. Upon identifying an incoming communication, the PHP script may read the incoming message from the client device, parse the received JSON-encoded text data to extract information from the JSON-encoded text data into PHP script variables, and store the data (e.g., client identifying information, etc.) and/or extracted information in a relational database accessible using the Structured Query Language (“SQL”). An exemplary listing, written substantially in the form of PHP/SQL commands, to accept JSON-encoded input data from a client device via a SSL connection, parse the data to extract variables, and store the data to a database, is provided below:

<?PHP header(‘Content-Type: text/plain’); // set ip address and port to listen to for incoming data $address = ‘192.168.0.100’; Sport = 255; // create a server-side SSL socket, listen for/ accept incoming communication $sock = socket_create(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0); socket_bind($sock, $address, sport) or die(‘Could not bind to address’); socket_listen($sock); $client = socket_accept($sock); // read input data from client device in 1024 byte blocks until end of message do {  $input = “”;  $input = socket_read($client, 1024);  $data .=$input; } while($input != “”) // parse data to extract variables $obj = json_decode($data, true); // store input data in a database mysql_connect(“201.408.185.132”,$DBserver,$password); // access database server mysql_select(“CLIENT_DB.SQL”); // select database to append mysql_query(“INSERT INTO UserTable (transmission) VALUES ($data)”); // add data to UserTable table in a CLIENT database mysql_close(“CLIENT_DB.SQL”); // close connection to database ?>  Also, the following resources may be used to provide example embodiments regarding SOAP parser implementation: http://www.xav.com/perl/site/lib/SOAP/Parser.html http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/tivihelp/v2r1/ index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.IBMDI.doc/referenceguide295.htm  and other parser implementations: http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/tivihelp/v2r1/ index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.IBMDI.doc/referenceguide259.htm  all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.

In order to address various issues and advance the art, the entirety of this application (including the Cover Page, Title, Headings, Field, Background, Summary, Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, Claims, Abstract, Figures, Appendices and/or otherwise) shows by way of illustration various embodiments in which the claimed inventions may be practiced. The advantages and features of the application are of a representative sample of embodiments only, and are not exhaustive and/or exclusive. They are presented only to assist in understanding and teach the claimed principles. It should be understood that they are not representative of all disclosed embodiments. As such, certain aspects of the disclosure have not been discussed herein. That alternate embodiments may not have been presented for a specific portion of the invention or that further undescribed alternate embodiments may be available for a portion is not to be considered a disclaimer of those alternate embodiments. It will be appreciated that many of those undescribed embodiments incorporate the same principles of the invention and others are equivalent. Thus, it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and functional, logical, organizational, structural and/or topological modifications may be made without departing from the scope and/or spirit of the disclosure. As such, all examples and/or embodiments are deemed to be non-limiting throughout this disclosure. Also, no inference should be drawn regarding those embodiments discussed herein relative to those not discussed herein other than it is as such for purposes of reducing space and repetition. For instance, it is to be understood that the logical and/or topological structure of any combination of any program components (a component collection), other components and/or any present feature sets as described in the figures and/or throughout are not limited to a fixed operating order and/or arrangement, but rather, any disclosed order is exemplary and all equivalents, regardless of order, are contemplated by the disclosure. Furthermore, it is to be understood that such features are not limited to serial execution, but rather, any number of threads, processes, services, servers, and/or the like that may execute asynchronously, concurrently, in parallel, simultaneously, synchronously, and/or the like are contemplated by the disclosure. As such, some of these features may be mutually contradictory, in that they cannot be simultaneously present in a single embodiment. Similarly, some features are applicable to one aspect of the invention, and inapplicable to others. In addition, the disclosure includes other inventions not presently claimed. Applicant reserves all rights in those presently unclaimed inventions including the right to claim such inventions, file additional applications, continuations, continuations in part, divisions, and/or the like thereof. As such, it should be understood that advantages, embodiments, examples, functional, features, logical, organizational, structural, topological, and/or other aspects of the disclosure are not to be considered limitations on the disclosure as defined by the claims or limitations on equivalents to the claims. It is to be understood that, depending on the particular needs and/or characteristics of a HEAT™ individual and/or enterprise user, database configuration and/or relational model, data type, data transmission and/or network framework, syntax structure, and/or the like, various embodiments of the HEAT™ may be implemented that enable a great deal of flexibility and customization.

All statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the disclosure, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future, i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure.

Descriptions herein of circuitry and method steps and computer programs represent conceptual embodiments of illustrative circuitry and software embodying the principles of the disclosed embodiments. Thus the functions of the various elements shown and described herein may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software as set forth herein.

Terms to exemplify orientation, such as upper/lower, left/right, top/bottom and above/below, may be used herein to refer to relative positions of elements as shown in the figures. It should be understood that the terminology is used for notational convenience only and that in actual use the disclosed structures may be oriented different from the orientation shown in the figures. Thus, the terms should not be construed in a limiting manner.

In the disclosure hereof any element expressed as a means for performing a specified function is intended to encompass any way of performing that function including, for example, a) a combination of circuit elements and associated hardware which perform that function or b) software in any form, including, therefore, firmware, microcode or the like as set forth herein, combined with appropriate circuitry for executing that software to perform the function. Applicants thus regard any means which can provide those functionalities as equivalent to those shown herein.

Similarly, it will be appreciated that the system and process flows described herein represent various processes which may be substantially represented in computer-readable media and so executed by a computer or processor, whether or not such computer or processor is explicitly shown. Moreover, the various processes can be understood as representing not only processing and/or other functions but, alternatively, as blocks of program code that carry out such processing or functions.

As examples, the Specification describes and/or illustrates aspects useful for implementing the claimed disclosure by way of various circuits or circuitry which may be illustrated as or using terms such as blocks, modules, device, system, unit, controller, and/or other circuit-type depictions. Such circuits or circuitry are used together with other elements to exemplify how certain embodiments may be carried out in the form or structures, steps, functions, operations, activities, etc. In certain embodiments, such illustrated items represent one or more computer circuitry (e.g., microcomputer or other CPU) which is understood to include memory circuitry that stores code (program to be executed as a set/sets of instructions) for performing an algorithm. The specification may also make reference to an adjective that does not connote any attribute of the structure (“first [type of structure]” and “second [type of structure]”) in which case the adjective is merely used for English-language antecedence to differentiate one such similarly-named structure from another similarly-named structure (e.g., “first circuit configured to convert . . . ” is interpreted as “circuit configured to convert . . . ”). On the other hand, specification may make reference to an adjective that is intended to connote an attribute of the structure (e.g., monitor server), in which case the adjective (e.g., monitor) modifies to refer to at least a portion of the named structure (e.g., server) is configured to have/perform that attribute (e.g., monitor server refers to at least a portion of a server that includes/performs the attribute of monitoring.

Some portions of the above description present the techniques described herein in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules or by functional names, without loss of generality.

Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the above discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.

The methods, systems, computer programs and devices of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, among other things, provide for improved methods, and systems for retaining gloves, as well as methods, systems and machine readable programs to support monitoring of firefighters and emergency personnel. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the devices, methods, software programs and mobile devices of the present disclosure without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure include modifications and variations that are within the scope of the subject disclosure and equivalents. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A wearable retainer for holding a fire resistant glove in place on a wrist of a user, comprising: a flame retardant main loop formed from flame retardant material configured to be worn about a wrist of a user, wherein the main loop is flexible and includes elastic material; wherein the elastic material includes neoprene material and further wherein the neoprene material is surrounded with meta-aramid fibers; and a flame retardant strap coupled to the flame retardant loop, the flame retardant strap including a coupling to be attached to a portion of a fire resistant glove.
 2. The wearable retainer of claim 1, wherein the coupling includes a male or female half of a snap.
 3. The wearable retainer of claim 1, further comprising a sensor.
 4. The wearable retainer of claim 3, wherein the sensor includes a biometric configured to measure at least one vital metric of a firefighter.
 5. The wearable retainer of claim 4, wherein the at least one vital metric includes one or more of blood pressure, temperature, skin conductivity, moisture, blood oxygen level, and heart rate.
 6. The wearable retainer of claim 3, wherein the sensor includes a chemical detector.
 7. The wearable retainer of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve coupled to the main loop to surround and shield a wrist of a user.
 8. A wearable retainer for holding a fire resistant glove in place on a wrist of a user, comprising: a flame retardant main loop formed from flame retardant material configured to be worn about a wrist of a user; a flame retardant strap coupled to the flame retardant loop, the flame retardant strap including a coupling to be attached to a portion of a fire resistant glove; and a length of hook and loop fastener in the form of a strap attached to the main loop, wherein when the gloves are in use, the hook and loop fastener is configured to be wrapped around the main loop, and further wherein when the gloves are not in use the strap including the hook and loop fastener is configured to be wrapped around the gloves to secure the gloves together.
 9. A system including a pair of wearable retainers as recited in claim 1, wherein each retainer includes unique indicia to help a user distinguish the retainers from each other.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the indicia includes a first visual indicia on a first of the retainers, and a second, different visual indicia on a second of the retainers.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the indicia includes a first color on a first of the retainers, and a second, different color on a second of the retainers.
 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the indicia includes a first alphanumeric character on a first of the retainers, and a second, different alphanumeric character on a second of the retainers suggestive of which hand to put each glove on.
 13. The system of claim 9, wherein the indicia includes a first tactile indicia on a first of the retainers, and a second, different tactile indicia on a second of the retainers.
 14. A fire resistant jacket including a fire resistant glove coupled thereto by way of at least one wearable retainer in accordance with claim
 1. 15. A pair of fire-resistant gloves, each glove including a wearable retainer coupled thereto according to claim
 1. 16. A system for tracking firefighters at a work location, comprising at least one retainer to hold a fire resistant glove in place on a wrist of a user, including flame retardant main loop formed from flame retardant material configured to be worn about a wrist of a user, a flame retardant strap coupled to the flame retardant loop, the flame retardant strap including a coupling to be attached to a portion of a fire resistant glove, and an electronic identification tag; a central monitor including scanning and tracking circuitry configured and arranged to read information contained on the electronic identification tag of each wearable retainer and machine readable instructions on a non-transient medium to control the circuitry in the central monitor, the machine readable instructions including (i) instructions to read data obtained from the electronic identification tag of each user, (ii) instructions to account for which firefighters have scanned into the system, and (iii) instructions to account for how long each firefighter has been scanned into the system, and to execute a further action in response to a predetermined time has elapsed for at least one firefighter.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine readable instructions further include instructions to monitor at least one health related parameter of at least one firefighter.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine readable instructions further include instructions to monitor at least one health related parameter of at least one firefighter to determine if the firefighter is exhibiting symptoms consistent with cardiac arrest. 